It is act two of the last day of the dance show. I just finished dancing the three dances I am in, and with a mix of sweat and heavy breathing, there is inspiration. As I write this in my notes app on my phone that is about to die, tears are forming in my eyes, and yet there’s a smile on my face.
Now you’re all caught up to where I am right now.
My first year of dance basically just ended, and in this high-emotion moment, I am reminded of all I have done throughout this year. I have one week of classes left, one final exam, and then the first chapter of my college journey is closed.Â
I’ve done so much, and yet it went by so fast.
I am so blessed to go to school in a place where I don’t just learn from my professors, but I also learn from myself and my experiences.
“What are those things?” you may ask. Well, without further ado, let me share some things that freshman year taught me.Â
Doing things alone isn’t scary.
I’ve always been more of an introvert, but for some reason, I have had a fear of doing things by myself. Maybe it’s the fear of being judged that I will talk about in a moment, or maybe it’s just more comfortable to be around other people, but I could never do things alone (in public). Here at college, my favorite morning activity is to take a walk while my friends are in class and grab a Freshens breakfast. I now cherish alone time wherever I am, which is so refreshing.
People really don’t care.
The number of people I walk by, talk to, and interact with each day is too many to count. I, an overthinker, used to analyze every interaction I had with anyone and cringe at something I said or did. News flash: you’re the only one who is actually thinking about that. No one is judging you for sitting alone. No one remembers that you almost tripped up the stairs. No one is laughing at the fact that you pronounced a word wrong. In the nicest way possible, people really don’t care, and what a refreshing feeling that is.
It’s fun to try new things.
Joining clubs and meeting people is a big aspect of college, and I heard everyone say it was the most important thing. Well, this was a lot of pressure going into college with no clue what activities I wanted to take part in. Now, I write for fun, dance every week, volunteer at the SPCA, do yoga, and learn more about my major. Talk about fun things! I would have never found new hobbies and passions if I hadn’t put myself out there and tried new things.
Being independent is freeing.
Growing up, I’ve always been independent. I do my laundry, wash my dishes, and do as I please. But independence goes beyond living at home and doing things for yourself, it’s being in a spot where you are growing into yourself. Living on your own, everything you do is for your greater good. I’ve grown so much as a person just from living in my little dorm room and figuring it out for myself. I think this is the best thing that I’ve experienced this year, as I am finally my own human.
Accounting is not that bad.
I never took accounting in high school, so as a business major, I have multiple accounting courses I must take. I’ve heard the horror stories from many, and after two courses under my belt, I can confidently say that it’s not that bad. Sure, I got an 88% on my last test, but I learned a lot. Most of which has been very interesting to me; interesting enough that I just added an accounting minor.Â